JoJe

Yeah, true
As much as I love novel and drama, need to say drama editing feels jumping. Classic problem when so much chapters need to squeeze to below 40 episodes

Drama might not flesh Shen Xihe background much or maybe keep it for later but novel tell like this. Anyone worry for spoiler just don't read though I don't think this is spoiler

Shen Xihe born prematurely weak, like really weak. Her father and brother shelter her very much afraid of any mishap. If she got sick, it could suddenly turn worse. She couldn't got stress, her body couldn't take it. She don't befriend with many or socialize like others usually do because she cannot be heartbroken. If her heart beat too fast, it will be a problem. So even her family worry if she fall in love someday. Drama not show how weak is she but the novel told us that even after she gain GQZ life experience her body just that weak. She cannot catch cold, couldn't run too fast. Even when she counter Lady Xiao, other noble lady, other Princess, she will get tired and catch out breath.

So, merge soul might be some magic happened. Both don't know it will fall to them. While GQZ had already finish with what she need to do, SXH still have a lot. It is not old SXH not strong and smart enough to defend her family but her body not allow her and how she raised with such careful not make her be such decisive and scheming like GQZ. Now, that she had to survive in capital, the dangerous capital, GQZ resource help making new SXH better in lead in this game of power

He will. From novel, though we don't get show the process of he got cured but 8 years later he back to reunite with his family.

We don't know with drama, but I saw Reuters, that they are filming together with child actor

Yeah, at least Shen Xihe know family love as her father and brother loves her so much. Gu Qingzhi grew with her mother before her death told her don't love. It's the only way women will gain freedom

About ex husband, at some point he will demand truth from her very much. After all she show a memory that he knew only GQZ have it. But she insisted that he has no evidence that she is GQZ. Then he choose to stop. He will always has good relationship with his brother, including advice him to stop when SXH had choose Crown Prince. At the end, forced or not, both of them will be our couple ally

Yes, it will HE

She knew. She knew that she gain GQZ life experience. She knew Prince Xin is GQZ former husband. But it is more like a merger souls than a switch

Marriage of equal status, a Prince and a minister legitimate daughter

If someone still confuse with rebirth or reborn or soul transmigration on 1st episode, please make peace with it. Feel a bit illogical but don't spoil your watching journey ahead 😊 Novel has 850 chapters and finish this rebirth issue on chapter 4, so ahead still long to enjoy!

This is what novel writer note and some quotes, wish could help somehow
Writer notes : "The female protagonist is reborn – can be seen as Gu Qingzhi reborn as Shen Xihe, or Shen Xihe gaining Gu Qingzhi’s experiences through a cheat, growing up anew. The reborn protagonist is neither Gu Qingzhi nor Shen Xihe, but someone entirely new!"

I quote this from novel chapter 3&4
In novel, after her suicide, Gu Qingzhi first wake up floating in river just as Shen Xihe died because her maid push her to river

"Pushing aside her scattered thoughts, Gu Qingzhi closed her eyes. Some chaotic images rushed into her mind, causing her head to spin and ache. After a while, she reopened her eyes, her expression extremely complex. The kind of bizarre occurrence that only happened in supernatural novels had befallen her. She was no longer Gu Qingzhi, but living in the body of someone who had just died."

After this she not only has all Gu Qingzhi memory but she knew this body she living now is Shen Xihe, northwest Princess with all SXH memory too

"She closed her eyes, hoping Shen Xihe herself would return. She had no attachments left in this world and didn’t aspire to live another life."

This show how as Gu Qingzhi, she already close her life, no regrets as she knew with her suicide, Fan family who frame Gu family will not stay longer too. She had done her duty to repay their nurturing grace.

Next is her encounter with Xiao Huayong and immortal sash. Then leading to she faint and when she woke up again she already at bed with Zhenzhu. After woke up she order couple of things for Linglong betrayal just like in drama (with Gu Qingzhi decisive style). This is what her maids see her

"The previous Princess had been intelligent but sensitive, and though born in the rugged Northwest with its fierce customs, she had remained like a delicate peony untouched by wind and sand—noble yet aloof. Since leaving the Northwest, the Princess had become quiet and reserved. After Linglong’s betrayal, her every word and action became composed and wise, as if she had matured overnight, shedding that delicate beauty to become a flower empress looking down upon all others."

Next is she received some news from King's informant in capital
"As expected, the Fan family had been charged with framing an honorable minister. Minister Gu was framed by the Fan family. Though the entire Gu family has already been executed, His Majesty is willing to clear their name."

"Shen Xihe closed her eyes, enjoying the dappled morning light falling through the branches, warm light enveloping her, her skin glowing with an enchanting radiance. Gu Qingzhi, you can rest in peace now. From this day forward, Gu Qingzhi exists no more—only Shen Xihe remains."

That's all... So just like new Shen Xihe had already make peace with it, we should too 😊
Ahead still many excitement and good things

It is true, from 5 years to 3 years to less than a year. His poison progress rapidly by many reason. The poison not hinder him to learn martial arts, but if he push himself too much then yeah the poison could flare and cut his time. But rest assure, it is happy end

Yes, Prince Xin love her very much. It's only his way to love her is wrong. He only want to get a bit attention of his wife but choose to take concubines. She still steady, not care. Then he become Emperor pawn to execute Gu family for a promise Emperor would spare her life. He thought at least she could show hate. But she still calm and quietly choose death. That is his biggest regrets making him after that tragedy choose to stand opposite the Emperor for whatever circumstances

And yes, normally novel would differ. My latest experience it differ until I couldn't link anything between novel and drama 😂 But this one , at least until now, drama follow novel outline. Only some minor changes

Novel stops not long after he back
After he back, he stay in Eastern Palace. When he visit his son, he doesn't do it openly, after all he has high martial arts, jump silently here and there should be easy. Court only hear gossip that Prince Xin bring a man to Eastern Palace and that man stay! They whisper what kind of man this time not being thrown out Eastern Palace. They never met him in person.

Besides, XHY always is a master in disguise. So I think even when later he need to meet some of them, he just need to disguise himself

Further on extra part of novel
Hope I not talk to much :)
There is part in extra that XHY came to his son bedroom and talk heart to heart with him. After some conversation he knew his father had no intention of claiming his rightful status – he planned to let others continue their speculations while remaining nameless and untitled beside his mother.

Almost the same. The difference is it takes a short while between Gu family fall and her death. Prince Xin knew she will try to commit suicide so he ask maid & guard to watch her close. But no one know when she ask some fragrance ingredients, that is for her make her suicidal fragrance. Then just like that simple she wake on Shen Xihe body with both memory remain. She wake floating in river and she met Xiao Huayong who jump in river for immortal sash. She know he help her when she struggling in river then faint. Next, she wake up beside her maids, just like in drama.

This is what novel writer intended, new Shen Xihe who has both memory make her somehow entirely new person

People around her (maids) in novel also confused of her personality change become more cold and scheming but they thought it is because of linglong betrayal and an almost dead experience

No. His son did.

Further spoilers...
After he back, only their nearest know who he really is. Others (people, court, public) thought he will be Empress Dowager new husband, after all Empress Dowager still very young but had to be widowed and these couple years many minister on court have offer her candidate, every she reject it outright and never pay attention to. But this time, this man can straightly enter Eastern Palace and stay

That's why novel writer choose to call her entirely new person, not Shen Xihe, not Gu Qingzhi (this really writer note in first chapter).

But in everyone eyes she is still Shen Xihe, only more decisive and knew how to schemes. Just like I tell before, people consider her be mature by circumstance. The only one who suspect her was her previous husband.

Yes, you are correct. She will not loose herself. She is in Shen Xihe body with Shen Xihe face. She will remember her family dearly love her and she love them too. When her father and brother meet her, she is still the same close to them, no awkward feeling because the memory addition

The woman whose memory come, yes was married with Prince Xin. *Spoiler* Commit suicide when her family fall because of her husband scheming with Emperor. She died along with their unborn baby

What memory addition do is make her more decisive, more lethal. And maybe since she already went through how her family fall in that woman memory, so this time she will fight, plan and scheme hard for her family safety.

What her closest people (her maids and family) look in her change in personality became more cold and more unapproachable is they think because of one of her maid betrayal nearly cost her life make her more mature

Yes, but no one crazy obsessive type and no one clingy. Even the bad one - the one who had ulterior motives will either be defeated by her or place on correct place by male lead

Besides, no other male lead has that many time with FL. At least novel that way, drama might be differ though

You can think that way, however this memory of other person bring a part to her personality change

Old Shen Xihe, born prematurely weak. Being loved and sheltered so much by her father and brother. Her body weak and restricted by many things make her melancholy as a person (not her family restrict her, but her body couldn't do much). I would say old SXH might not survive capital intrigue

Gu Qingzhi, daughter of minister. Her father hold strong position on court and one of successor current Emperor leading to Gu family fall (palace scheming). GQZ is a very cold lady, has no emotion although she is smart and master in perfumery. She even calculated Gu family will fall to solidate current Emperor power. I don't think she receive many love in family make her that way

New Shen Xihe, aloof, noble, and untouchable. No more melancholy but smart in scheming. Any person provoke her, they will suffer more. She quickly found way to treat her weak body. Join in power struggle to secure her northwest family safety. A family who love her so much and she love deeply

Everyone thought so, kind of fake death
In reality his poison indeed attacking hard, he running out time
He leave for treatment in faraway west, a secluded place
A treatment that no one sure will work but it is his only hope
A harsh method
Only after 8 years, he back to reunite with his family

Hers and Xiao Huayong

She - Shen Xihe - a northwest Princess. Her northwest family strong in military. Having her means have half the world. On her way to capital for arranged marriage (she bound to marry Prince, but which Prince still not determined and she has power to choose), her maid betrayed her and push her to river. She died but reborn with Gu Qingzhi experiences (what writer's means is both SXH and GQZ memory remain, making her someone entirely new)

He - Xiao Huayong - 7th Prince (Crown Prince). He poisoned at age 8 and almost dead. Since then, he lives outside Palace to recuperate and everyone knew Crown Prince’s life gonna be short, he only a sickly & weak Prince. But no one know that sickly demeanor is only his facade. Now, as his coming-of-age ceremony is approaching, he come back to Eastern Palace

She is aloof, noble and untouchable
He is sharp and strong behind a sickly, filial and benevolent facade

This gonna be a power struggle theme and a bit heavy in romance (a slow burn one)
No complicated misunderstanding, no crazy obsessive love rivals, no melodramatic plot. A quiet straightforward story telling building very well to climax end